


Be Alright

by ShatteredAura



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Don't @ Me, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, Out of Character, Unofficial Sequel, just an idea, many feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:03:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShatteredAura/pseuds/ShatteredAura
Summary: "He was almost home when a loud metallic snap and the following bellowing shriek quickly caught his attention. “Shit!” Carl ran toward the sound, hoping he hadn’t been too late.However, the shaking orange mass of dirty fur and the childlike wails told him he indeed was.“Aw, hell—” "Or, the one where Crazy Carl forgets one of his traps, and someone who isn't Sonic pays the price.
Relationships: Maddie Wachowski & Tom Wachowski, Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog & Maddie Wachowski, Sonic the Hedgehog & Tom Wachowski
Comments: 13
Kudos: 163





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! So excited to write my first Sonic fanfic!   
> To be honest with you, I don't really have plans to write more, but I wrote this because I wanted more Tails angst (I can honestly never get enough even though he's my favorite character lol sorry baby) and so I just decided to write my own lol. I'm well aware that now that the sequel was officially announced (YAY) then we might get some Tails angst in the second movie, but until then? I'm hoping this piece will satisfy a bunch of you as well! :)  
> Note: I'm aware that characters might be a little OOC, so please bear with me. I just wanted to write this story to clear my mind.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Sonic characters or movie characters. They belong to Sega and Paramount.  
> SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE IN THE END NOTES, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK.  
> With that said, enjoy the story!

Ha!

Carl knew he was right all along!

That Blue Devil sure was a fast one!

He was still reeling from seeing it in action. However, he was more satisfied with the fact that no one had believed him until the epic battle that had taken place a few days ago.

He was currently sitting at a bar stool, his drawing proudly hung on the wall. By now, a few more drawings had joined his; as soon as the battle had occurred, parents had returned to their houses to tell their children the fantastic tale of the Blue Devil. Of course, all of them had been eager to share the love and support for their town hero!

“Well, Carl, looks like you weren’t so crazy after all,” one man stated with a smirk. “Never would’ve believed it!”

Another patted him on the back. “For a while there you had us worried, old man! Never doubted you for a moment, obviously, but uh, you gotta admit, it was a crazy story!”

“They don’t call me Crazy Carl for nothing, eh!” Carl threw in between laughter. “I told y’all!”

“Yeah, yeah,” the bartender cut in, amused. “As much as I’d like to hear all about it, I still got some damage control to do in here. Come on gentlemen, out you go, and I’ll expect y’all back tomorrow!”

“Right on, lady!” Carl exclaimed, getting up from his seat. “I’ll be here as always! See ya!”

As he walked home, he thought about his traps. The little creature had messed with them before his electrifying showdown in town, but there was no use replacing them now. He would just have to clean the area up and make sure it’s trap-free for the Blue Devil to run around if he pleased!

He was almost home when a loud metallic snap and the following bellowing shriek quickly caught his attention. “Shit!” Carl ran toward the sound, hoping he hadn’t been too late.

However, the shaking orange mass of dirty fur and the childlike wails told him he indeed was.

“Aw, hell—”

XxX

The house was repaired (for the most part), Robotnik was gone for good, Sonic was staying with them, and Rachel wasn’t telling Maddie to divorce him, for now. All in all, Tom was enjoying the peace and quiet he’d had for the last few days. Well, as quiet as it could be with Sonic around.

And then his phone rang.

“Wachowski.”

“Sheriff! Oh thank God you picked up, I called your buddy at the station and he didn’t believe a word I said! Would you believe that, I mean seriously!”

Tom rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to Wade, Carl. What’s the matter?”

“I…I think I caught someone. In my traps. I was gonna take them down, I swear! I—”

“Wai-wai-wait, hold up. _Someone_? As in—”

“Yes!” Carl yelled. “And I panicked and now the thing doesn’t want me near it!”

“I’ll be right there.” Tom was already out the door and about to hang up the phone when Carl’s yelling brought his focus back in the call. “What?!”

“Bring the Blue Devil!”

XxX

Miles was in awe of the forest. The forests on Mobius had gone dry while his world suffered, and he hadn’t seen such lush trees in a long time. He hadn’t had the chance to while in hiding.

The fox had picked up traces of Sonic in a small cave. He could tell that the hedgehog had spent significant time in there, but the place looked vacant once more. He sincerely hoped he wasn’t too late, even when the signal only seemed to get stronger with his search.

While the matter was pressing to him, he wanted to bathe in the beautiful nature that surrounded him. He felt guilty; Longclaw had sacrificed herself for him to escape when the echidnas found out about his plan, and while he’d made sure they didn’t have rings to follow him, his caretaker was still in great danger. His _world_ was in great danger. And neither he or Longclaw had gotten to enjoy such beauty in many years. Now, he wasn’t sure she would ever get to that point again.

Miles shook his head. _Focus_ , he thought, _you gotta find Sonic, Longclaw’s counting on you!_

After a few minutes of walking, Miles reached a clearing. He gulped. He didn’t want to be seen by anyone; flying was too great a risk, even if it was faster than walking, which could also get him spotted in a heartbeat. Thankfully, he was small; he could probably crawl through the tall grass and escape anyone who lived nearby. He spotted another opening to the forest slightly to his right, and he made it his destination.

With that plan in mind, the fox angled himself toward the opening and began to crawl on all fours, his tails smoothly brushing the ground behind him as he kept them low. His large ears picked up on small insects such as crickets and flies, but no sign of anybody nearby.

He almost made it to the opening when he heard a sharp click and felt excruciating pain on his left tail.

His shriek pierced the air.

Through ragged breaths and teary vision, he frantically located the source of his pain.

A trap.

His tail was caught in a metallic jaw.

A sob escaped his lips against his will. “No, no, no,” he softly wailed, his whole body shaking from the anxiety that began to consume him. Not only was he trapped and hurt, but he had surely alerted someone of his whereabouts. He was doomed.

His ears picked up on footsteps, which seemed to rush to his destination. He struggled against the trap, his heart pounding in his chest, but his escape attempts were futile as any movement sent waves of pain shooting through him. His last resort at protecting himself from the threat was to curl up in a ball and wrap is uninjured tail around him.

A branch snapped to his left; the threat had arrived. “Aw, hell.”

Miles remained immobile, minus his body shaking. He desperately willed it to stop while he also tried to conceal his sobs.

“Shit, what do I do?” the fox heard, but he didn’t dare take a peek. He heard shuffling. “Uh, hey, little fella, calm down will ya? Let me get you out of there.”

He felt a hand on his back. His whole body jolted as if shocked, which pulled at his tail. He shrieked again.

“Shit, shit, I’m sorry, I’m just tryna help!” the voice exclaimed.

Miles shook his head and shifted his body away from the threat as far as his injured tail allowed him to. “No, no, please go away, please,” he begged, pressing his ears against his head and using his right tail to shield himself.

The threat was silent for a moment, and then the fox heard his footsteps getting progressively quieter. He finally peeked and noted to himself that the threat—an adult male, he assumed at first glance—stood an extra few feet away, his back facing him. He seemed to hold a device similar to his own scanner to his ear, but he also seemed to converse with someone else. Miles couldn’t focus enough to hear the exchange by word.

It dawned on him that the male could be calling for someone to pick him up, and his heartbeat sped up once more. He was going to get taken away and he couldn’t do anything to escape!

He choked on yet another sob and hid behind his uninjured tail. He willed himself to calm down; this wasn’t the first time he had been in trouble, and surely, he could find a way out of this. Yet, this was different; he was in a whole new world with different technology, different species and he had no place to hide lest he got lost.

He stayed still, trying to avoid bringing more attention to himself if he were to make a move, until more footsteps came his way. Those seemed heavier and more purposeful, and he whimpered. He really was going to get taken!

And then, he heard them; the fastest and lightest footsteps he’d ever heard before.

Could it be?

“Hey, kid?”

Miles jumped. He didn’t expect the voice to be so close to him, yet it sounded youthful, and…friendly.

“Can you please look at me? I’m here to help, I promise. I’ll get you outta there.”

It took all of Miles’ willpower not to look, and yet, he was drawn to the voice. Still shaking, although calmer than he was a few moments ago, he looked up. He was met with a pair of electric green eyes, and cobalt blue quills.

The hedgehog smiled. “It’s okay, kid. Deep breaths and you’ll be free in no time.”

The fox slowly nodded. It would be okay, now that he’d found Sonic, but he had so many questions in mind. Before he could ask one, however, the second male, who had just gotten to them, took a step forward. Miles whimpered and curled in further on himself.

Sonic immediately took notice and stood in front of the fox, blocking him from sight. “Wait, Tom, step back.”

“We have to get him out of that trap, Sonic,” Tom sighed, exasperated.

The hedgehog nodded. “I know, but he’s scared. Let me talk to him.”

After a few moments of consideration, the sheriff nodded and took a few steps back. He began talking to Crazy Carl while Sonic kneeled by the fox once more.

“Hey, you can look now,” he whispered. After a few moments, the pair’s eyes met again. Sonic smiled. “Good. You don’t have to be scared, we’re here to help.”

“How?” the younger softly asked, sniffling. “I-I couldn’t get out.”

Sonic gestured to the two men. “They’re friendly. They can get you out of that trap. Then we’ll get your tail taken care of.”

Miles paused. He’d expected the hedgehog to comment on his other tail, but either he hadn’t noticed, which was unlikely, or he’d paid no mind to it.

Oddly enough, the thought of the latter calmed him. He already felt like he could trust the hedgehog, even if the idea of those humans being his friends was crazy to him.

He nodded, his body shaking again despite his best efforts at regaining control. “Just, please…it hurts.”

Sonic offered a smile. “I know, kid, I know.” _God_ , he felt old, calling someone a kid. He'd learned from Tom that it was an affectionate term used for those younger than himself. He felt it was an appropriate situation to use it. “We’ll be careful", he reassured. "And I know the perfect person to patch you up.”

Miles ignored that statement when the hedgehog beckoned the humans over to him. He braced himself to be so close to them but couldn’t help the flinch as the younger man placed his hands on the trap.

“Alright, buddy,” the man soothed, “on the count of three, I’ll wedge that thing open, so you can get your tail out, okay?” After the fox nodded, he added, “It’s probably gonna hurt, but you gotta trust us, okay?” The fox nodded again, albeit more reluctantly, but he seemed ready to comply.

“Ready? Okay. One, two……three! Go, go, go!”

Tom used his strength to hold the jaws open, and Sonic picked the fox up to drag him away from the trap. Once the sheriff assessed that both were safe, he let the jaws snap shut again. He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh. Now, all he had to do was find Maddie so she could patch the fox up.

“Hey, wait up!”

Sonic’s cries alerted him, and he wheeled around to its direction. He barely caught sight of the orange fur as it disappeared through the woods, with Sonic standing there.

Tom rushed to Sonic’s side. “What happened, where’d he go?”

“I don’t know!” the hedgehog exclaimed. “One second he was on the ground and then he picked his tail up and ran! I gotta go after him!” He braced himself to run, but before he could take off, Tom stopped him.

“Now wait just a second, Sonic. I know you probably want answers, but he’s really scared right now.” One look at the hedgehog and he could tell that Sonic was also scared, but he wisely didn’t mention it.

“And he’s hurt and alone!” Sonic protested. “I understand what that’s like, okay? And yeah, maybe I’m wondering what he wants; I know he comes from my world, and I know he was here for me. But if he tries anything, I know I can protect myself now, okay?” He paused. “Besides, I don’t think I’ll have to. I’ll be fine.”

The sheriff sighed. “Fine. Maddie’s shift is almost done, so I’ll just tell her to bring supplies. We’ll wait for you at home.”

_Home._ Sonic’s heart ached at the thought of home. He didn’t know what home really was for him, but he was intent on finding out through the fox, one way or another.

Sonic nodded. “I’ll go look for him. I think I know where he went.”

With that said, he dashed towards the woods and also disappeared from sight.

Tom stood there, utterly lost. “What the hell did I just get myself into?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> Thank you for all the love in the previous chapter! I sincerely hope you enjoy this one. :) It's probably the longest chapter I've ever written lol, so I hope it's worth it!  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Sonic characters or movie characters. They belong to Sega and Paramount.  
> Note: This is un-beta'd so there might very well be some mistakes and typos. We die like men.  
> Check out the notes in the end!

Miles fled, running as fast as he could while dodging trees left and right.

He’d tried flying, but one twitch of his tail kept him grounded with a pained yelp. So, he held on tightly to the bleeding appendage, hoping he wasn’t leading anybody right to him, and ran without looking back.

One root made him trip and fall flat on his belly. He frantically looked around him for fear of it being another trap, ignoring the newborn pain, but he almost immediately spotted a familiar hole in the ground leading to…the cave! He hastily crawled to it with heavy breaths and peeked inside; he noted that it wasn’t too deep that he wouldn’t be able to land painlessly without his tails.

And so, he jumped in, only slightly staggering as he landed on the ground of the cave.

Miles quickly scrambled out of sight from the hole and sat down, leaning against the wall. He glanced around the mini-cave while recovering his breath. He’d inspected it a few hours ago during his first visit, but he hadn’t taken the time to really _see_ it.

Miles took the ring out of his pouch. Even if he wanted to take a closer look at the cave, he knew he wouldn’t be safe for long. However, it was the only ring he had, and he couldn’t go back without Sonic the hedgehog.

The fox’s eyes grew heavy. He hadn’t realized that he’d been running on adrenaline for a long time, but he felt the exhaustion creeping in. While he knew it was risky, he could no longer fight the fatigue, and he curled up in a ball, ignoring the danger in favor of sleep.

XxX

Sonic knew he was right.

In less time than one could say ‘Robotnik’, he’d found his way to his old cave. Knowing he was much faster than the fox, his plan was to hide—he did have a knack for hiding—and wait for the fox to get there before cornering and questioning him.

No sooner than he got there, however, he heard rustling from behind him; a quick glimpse and he caught sight of the fox already barreling his way towards him. His heart skipped a beat as he zipped on top of a tree which would allow him to see the fox from a safe distance while hiding in plain sight. Gee, the kid sure was fast! How’d he run so quickly?

Sonic had been lucky; the fox hadn’t seemed to notice him. He winced in sympathy as the younger boy tripped and fell face-first; he knew from firsthand experience how annoying that protruding root was. Sonic monitored the fox’s actions with keen interest as the boy readily jumped in his old cave’s opening.

A few minutes passed, and there were no signs of further movement. The hedgehog remained on guard; what if the kit in fact had noticed him and was luring him into a trap? If so, maybe it wasn’t a wise move to confront him in the cave, even if Sonic felt like he had the upper hand; after all, he knew this forest like the back of his hand by now.

He waited for a few more instances, just to be on the safer side, before getting down from the tree. He ventured as close to the hole as he dared to and listened in.

Nothing.

He peeked inside, but he knew that one part of the cave extended far enough that anyone would be well hidden if they didn’t know to look better.

He knew better.

He jumped him, mindful of any sound he’d make when landing.

He was met with an adorable _(gosh, don’t think that!)_ sight.

The kit was curled up in a ball, clutching his injured tail in his sleep while the other acted as a pillow for his head. He looked even smaller, _younger_ that way, and yet his face wore a nigh permanent frown.

Sonic’s frown mirrored the younger boy’s. Just who was he? Why was he here?

The hedgehog needed answers.

And so, he waited. And waited. And…waited.

Boy, did he hate waiting!

Waiting was probably the one thing he hated the most. _Actually, that’s being alone,_ he thought to himself, just barely catching himself from speaking out loud. _But, now’s my chance to get those answers._

And so, he resigned himself to a fate of boredom while the kid slept. Clearly, he needed a nap.

Sonic waited for a few minutes before noticing that it was slowly getting darker. He groaned. _Great, it’s getting dark outside and I don’t have any light on me._

The ball of fur in front of him suddenly shifted. He froze. It stilled; Sonic kept his eyes trained on the fox. If he tried to escape, he’d be ready.

Then, the fox’s ears twitched, and he slowly rose from his slumber with a soft groan.

Blue eyes met with green again.

The fox cried out in shock, which made Sonic cry out in surprise. Both scrambled as far away from the other as possible.

The younger boy saw his chance and took flight.

Sonic braced himself to catch the fox, but the sight of him actually _flying_ left him speechless, anchored to his spot.

That is, until the fox wailed in pain and crumbled in a heap on the ground.

Sonic ignored his judgment to stay at a safe distance away and rushed to the injured kit, who lifted a hand in an effort to keep the hedgehog at bay. “D-Don’t get closer!”

The hedgehog skidded to a stop a couple of feet away, incredulous. “But-you’re hurt!”

“Yeah, don’t remind me,” the fox mumbled, dejected. “Just…stay away.” Neither of the two made a move or a sound.

Until…

“A-And you could _fly_?!”

The kit pressed his ears against his head. “I know, I know, I’m a—”

“—wesome!” “—freak.”

“Wait, what?” the two uttered at the same time.

They stared at each other.

The fox spoke up. “I was…gonna say I’m a freak. What did you say?”

“You’re not a freak, I said you’re awesome!” Sonic replied, offering a grin.

It appeased the younger boy. “Uh, r-really?”

“Yeah,” the hedgehog nodded. “Is that why you’re so fast?”

“Well, I guess it helps—wait, how did you know?”

“I, uh, saw you get here. Barely had time to hide before you caught up!”

“Wow,” the fox bashfully exclaimed. “I…didn’t even see you.” He smiled shyly in return. “We uh, didn’t meet like I’d hoped, but—”

“Yeah, about that,” Sonic interrupted, sobering up. “Who are you? And why are you here? _How_ did you get here?”

The fox closed his eyes with a sigh. He knew this part wouldn’t be easy, but he’d expected the hedgehog to have tons of questions.

“I guess now’s as good a time as any,” he answered, solemn. “I’m Miles. A few days ago, I detected an energy surge that led me here. It didn’t, uh, take me long to realize it was yours. I…I came looking for you ‘cause Mobius is in danger, and you’re the only one who can help.”

XxX

“Wait, so let me get this straight,” Sonic paced while the fox sat leaning against the walls of the cave. “Ever since I disappeared, the echidna clan—the one who wanted me for my powers—has been looking for me because their giant jewel dulled down, and they think I can restore it? _Me?_ ”

Miles nodded. “Sounds about right.”

“Uh-huh, and that glowing rock is supposedly what’s keeping the world from dying?”

“Yep.”

“Right, okay, and they’ve been terrorizing everyone with their temper tantrums because they’re mad and you barely escaped them to find me?”

“Well, they’re a little worse than tantrums, but uh, you get the idea—”

“And you want to take me _back?!_ ”

“I know,” the fox whined, “I know it sounds _really_ bad, but—”

“It does sound really bad, Miles!” the hedgehog snapped, making the younger boy recoil. Sonic sighed. “Look, I get that you want to save the world or whatever, and you think I’m your only hope, but I-I can’t, okay? I’ve built a life here and I’m finally safe. I don’t have to run anymore. I wouldn’t exchange that for the world.”

Miles glowered. “I never took you to be so selfish.”

The hedgehog wheeled around. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me! Millions of Mobians are gonna die and all you care about is this stupid place!”

“That stopped being my problem when I was _hunted down_ _and kicked away!_ These people accept me here and I’ll never give that up!”

“So you’ll just let a whole world die? The only place that I’ve ever known, the place you were _born_ in?!”

“This is my world, now! This is where I’m safe! If I go back, I might as well be a dead ‘hog!” Before Miles could utter another word, the hedgehog kept going. “And you, from what you’ve literally just told me, it doesn’t sound any safer there for you! You’re just as good as dea—”

“ _I DON’T CARE ABOUT THAT!_ ”

Sonic shut his mouth. The fox glared at him, panting. “I don’t care where I end up as long as I save my world! People are counting on me! I have to save them! I have to save Longclaw—”

The fox cut himself off mid-sentence once he noticed the coldness in the hedgehog’s eyes.

“Longclaw’s dead,” Sonic spat, curling his fists. “The echidna clan _killed_ her after she sent me away. She _died protecting me_.”

“She survived,” the fox retaliated, his resolve shaking. “She-she raised me. She kept me hidden from the echidnae, she—”

“ **THEN WHY DID SHE NEVER COME BACK FOR ME?** ”

Miles gasped, trying to press himself further against the wall behind him. The hedgehog took a step forward, and then another, fists clenched.

“Why did she never look for me? Did she think I was dead, huh? She must have, cause I was just a **kid**! I spent my entire life hiding from people, alone, because she pushed me away! Why didn’t she **ever** check up on me?!”

“I don’t know!” Miles wailed, tears streaming down his face. “I don’t-I don’t know why she didn’t check up on you!”

The teen took another step forward with a growl. “Then what did she ever do for you, huh? Kept you hidden away, too? No friends, no freedom, no _life_? And let me guess, you were discovered and she sent you away, too?!”

“Please, Sonic, h-hear me out!” Miles whimpered, holding his hands in front of him as a means of protection. When the hedgehog stopped moving and talking, he slowly lowered them and made eye contact. “I didn’t know much about you, at-at first. She just told me she used to watch over someone. Someone _special_. We spent most of our lives in hiding, the b-both of us. She was an enemy of the echidna clan, and I was an, an orphan. She only told me about you about a year ago, I swear! I went against her to find you, she wanted to keep you and I a-away from all of this, I-I put her in danger! And now they’ve got her, and I barely escaped with my life, and if I go back, I’ll definitely die, but now I’ve definitely put you in danger too, and-and it’s _all my fault!_ ”

While the fox sobbed, Sonic took deep breaths, listened carefully, and unclenched his sore fists. “Miles…” He sighed. “I’ll, uh, I’ll be honest with you. I’m mad. I-I really, _really_ want to be mad. At you, at Longclaw. And, I don’t wanna go back. I really don’t.” The fox still wept, but Sonic could tell he had his attention.

“But none of this, and I mean none of this, is your fault. When I still lived there, I noticed…things. The grass didn’t seem as green as it used to be, the sky as bright. The paths I ran on would crumble and disappear. I’ve tried not to think too much about Mobius, but…I think whatever happened, happened before I got here. Maybe…Maybe they wanted my help. Maybe they were just as desperate as…as Longclaw was to protect me. They had a bad way of showing it, but maybe they’re just as scared as I am— _was_ , was.”

By then, Sonic was right in front of the fox. He kneeled down and gently rested his hand on Miles’ shoulder. The fox flinched with a poor attempt to conceal it, but the hedgehog understood, and didn’t let on. “And I know that…you’re scared too. I know that running is all you’ve ever known. I _get_ that, I really do.” He sighed. “I-I’m not sure how much help I’ll be. I…don’t really understand my powers yet. I know that maybe you don’t have a lot of time, but I need as much time as I can get if I want to help you, okay?”

Miles rubbed the tears away from his eyes. “You-you’ll do that? You’ll really help?”

The hedgehog offered a small smile in an attempt to conceal his growing anxiety. “Yeah, I guess I will. I just need a bit of time.” He sobered up when he noticed the fox’s arms twitch around his injured tail. “You’re still hurt. We have to get you patched up first.”

The younger boy sniffled. “But it’s dark out, and I-I don’t want to see anyone else, I—”

“Hey,” Sonic softly interrupted, “remember the guy who held the trap open for you to get out? He’s a good guy, I promise. Besides, nobody will see us in the dark, and I know these woods really well.”

“A-Are you sure?” the fox quietly asked.

“I couldn’t be surer.”

“You don’t think they’ll be scared of me?”

The hedgehog chuckled. “Don’t you think they’d be scared of me too? Nah. They took me in, Miles. They were the first humans to accept me for who I am. They won’t think any less of you, too.”

Miles nodded, giving the teen a shy smile. “O-Okay then.”

“Tell you what,” Sonic started, giving the fox a hand at getting up. He hoisted the fox with a quiet grunt before steadying the both of them. “My friends will take care of you, and in turn, we’ll stay here until you’re fully healed. We’ll leave after that.”

Miles considered for a moment and nodded again. “Sounds like a plan to me, Sonic.”

Sonic raised his hand in a high-five motion with a grin. The kit just stared at him, head tilted to the side. Sonic grabbed the kit’s wrist and tapped their hands together. “This is a high-five,” he explained. “It’s what friends do when they’re…excited about something!”

The fox blinked, tapping Sonic’s hand again. “Friends?” he asked, hopeful.

“Yeah. I could use a Mobian friend.” A smile. “So could you. What do you say, Tails?”

“Tails??”

“Now hold on tight!”

“Hey, wai—EEP!”

XxX

Tom thought he’d heard it all by now. At least, he knew the telltale sign of Sonic running; he could hear it from miles away.

What he hadn’t been prepared to hear along with the running, however, was a childish “—eeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!”

The hedgehog skidded to a stop a few feet away from where Tom stood, holding a familiar fox in his arms. The kit’s fur was all fluffed out and his eyes were wide, chest rising and falling sporadically with his heavy breaths. He refused to let go of the hedgehog, even after Sonic had stilled.

“You can let go now,” Sonic chuckled, gently prying the fox away from him.

Miles tentatively pressed a foot on the ground, and then another. As soon as he was standing, he wheeled around to face the hedgehog, completely ignoring the man who was staring at the pair with interest. “What,” he hissed, “was _that?!_ ”

“Running!” Sonic replied with a cheeky grin and a thumbs up.

The fox’s eye twitched, followed by his ear. “Warn a fox next time!” he huffed, inhaling shakily and exhaling deeply. The corner of his mouth twitched, betraying his emotions. “That was fast!”

“Well, yeah, that’s what I’m all about!” Sonic replied, tapping his foot against the ground.

“I’m surprised nobody’s heard that scream,” Tom remarked with a chuckle, making both boys turn to him. Miles immediately blushed and curled in on himself, disliking the attention brought on him. A hand on his shoulder made him flinch, but he realized it was Sonic’s, and calmed down.

“This is Tom,” Sonic introduced, gesturing to the human in front of him. Said human offered a warm smile, but stayed in his spot for fear of scaring the kit. “And this,” the hedgehog continued, “is Tails!”

“Miles, actually,” the fox bashfully corrected, rubbing the back of his head while glowering at the hedgehog. Still, he remained rooted to his spot as well, feeling the anxiety creep in at meeting someone from an alien planet, especially someone who easily towered over him.

“Well Miles, how about we get you patched up?” the man kindly suggested. “Your tail must still hurt.”

The fox, upon hearing those words, glanced sheepishly at his injured tail. “Um, yeah,” he admitted, holding onto it shyly.

“Hey Tom, who’s our new friend?” a female voice called out, and a female human walked out the front door toward the group. “Oh, hello!” she cooed, smiling brightly at the newcomer.

Miles instantly felt…appeased. There was this presence about her that screamed friendliness and comfort. “Hi,” he muttered, taking a small step toward her, followed by Sonic, who guided the kit.

“I’m Maddie,” the woman introduced with a warm smile. Miles thought that she and the man fit nicely together before his fleeting thought was interrupted by her closer presence. “Allow me to look at your tail.” He hesitated for a bit before resigning himself to his fate, and he nodded, revealing his tail.

When she saw the injured appendage, she quietly gasped, ignoring the fact that the fox had, in fact, two tails. “Oh, you poor thing! Follow me inside, I’ll get that patched up in no time.” Her tone left no space to argue, and so Miles shot one last look at the hedgehog before following the woman inside the house, clutching his tails for comfort.

Meanwhile, Sonic kicked back with Tom as they both sat on the stairs. “You did good, buddy,” the man said, patting the teen on the back. Sonic giggled and affectionately punched the man on his shoulder.

“Oof,” Tom exclaimed, “you’re getting stronger every day, kid!” The two laughed, playfully slapping each other’s arms before the man sobered up, watching Sonic carefully. “Okay kid, out with it.”

“Huh? What do you mean—”

“You know what I mean,” Tom interrupted, though not unkindly. “With the fox. What’s the situation, here?”

“Oh,” Sonic realized, sharply inhaling. “Yeah, uh, about that? I’m…going back.”

Whatever Tom had expected, it wasn’t that. “Wait…what? You’re going back to your home planet already?”

“I don’t want to,” Sonic declared. “This whole thing is…really scary. I mean, the kid tracks me here and says my—his world’s in trouble, and…he thinks I’m the only one who can save it. It’s…a lot of pressure.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Tom soothed. “You know that, right?”

The hedgehog slowly nodded. “I know, but…I found out that my old caretaker is, well…still alive. And…as much as I want to _hate_ her for leaving me…I feel like…I need to save her, y’know?”

“Like you wanted to save the fox,” Tom remarked. Sonic glanced at the man, surprised. “You have a good heart, kid. It’s a little, um, painful to see you go, but I understand what it’s like, the desire to help everyone, especially someone in a life or death situation.”

“I’ll be back,” Sonic vowed, staring intently at Tom. His first friend. “This world is important to me, too. This place, this…family.”

Tom smiled knowingly. “I feel ya, kiddo.” He wrapped an arm around the hedgehog and pulled him to his side. Sonic stiffened, not expecting the gesture, but soon, he relaxed into the man’s embrace.

The two of them stared out into the pitch-black woods in comfortable silence. The night has truly set in, their faces illuminated by the garage light.

“Hey.” Tom broke the silence, making sure to maintain eye contact with his young friend. “Are you sure you’ll be fine out there on your own?”

“Yeah,” Sonic nodded, his resolve slightly wavering. Still, he didn’t let Tom know about his worries. “We’ll be alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aayyy went full circle with the title B)  
> Well, this concludes this story! I don't plan to write a sequel just yet; I have so many projects on top of my job already and I don't feel like I can commit to a full-length story as I did for this two-shot. Maybe, if I see an opening, or if I think of new ideas, I'll add along to it. Maybe I'll write a collection of fluffy one-shots! In any case, I won't promise any more fanfics in this fandom so I don't disappoint you guys. I'd rather be honest right away.  
> I really hope you've enjoyed this story! I know I took the same route as most writers here; Mobius is in danger, Longclaw's still alive, but I honestly feel like that's how it's gonna be in the sequel. One golden rule I have never found untrue as of yet; if you don't see a body, then there is no confirmed death. :P Besides, if it's anything like the first three Sonic games, Sonic might go super, which I'm really excited about!!  
> Anyway, thank you for reading this story, and until next time! ^^

**Author's Note:**

> SUPER IMPORTANT: I'm well aware of another fanfic on this website where Tails gets trapped and injured, so I respectfully ask that nobody calls me out on copying that work if you happen to have also read it. I do believe I've gone for a completely different angle on the situation. I made sure I didn't copy the other author's work. :) The story is called Where do we go from here? and it's written by SourSugarCube. Here's the link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22859191/chapters/54635530. Check it out!  
> I also haven't checked for Sonic movie fanfics on other websites. So, if you know of one fanfic with the same idea as this one on this website or on another website that I'm not aware of, I apologize for that, but I can assure you it was never my intention to copy anyone, especially someone's work I didn't know about!  
> With that said, I hope you have enjoyed and I will see you in the next chapter!


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